Folding cot.



A. R. BARNES.

FOLDING GOT.

APILIOATION FILED N0\T.15, 1912. 1 09 1,792, Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

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5 a w a m a ATTORNEY COLUMBIA PLANODIAPH C0. WMHINGTON. II- C- A. R. BARNES.

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APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 15, 1912.

1,09 1,792. Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

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m mum WWAIHINGTON, D. C.

FNETED T AT FFTQE.

FOLDING COT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

Application filed November 15, 1912. Serial No. 731,476.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUsrUs R. BARNES, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Los Angeles, county of Los Angeles, and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Cots, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to portable beds or cots and it has special reference to such as are adapted to be folded into a compact bundle.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of the character above specified, that shall be simple and durable in construction and that shall constitute when folded, a traveling suit-case into which articles of wearing apparel and the like or camping outfits may be packed in addition to the other parts of the cot or bed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combined folded cot and traveling case constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the cot of Fig. 1 extended and ready for occupancy. Fig. 3 is a side elevation and Fig. 4; is an end elevation of the extended cot shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional elevation of the folded cot of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of onehalf of the folded cot showing the position of the braces and legs when folded. Fig. 7 is a detail view, on a larger scale, indicating a preferred arrangement for removably connecting one end of each side brace to the adjacent end member of the cot.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring to the drawings, the folding cot here shown comprises two end members 10 and 11 which constitute two halves of a traveling case or container, of the size and appearance of an ordinary suit case, into which a pair of three-part side braces 12 and 13 and intermediate legs 14 and 15 are folded. The end member 10 is preferably formed of fiber covered wood and is provided with the usual edge and corner braces, but a metal frame structure covered with leather or any other suitable arrangementmay of course be employed within the spirit and scope of my invention.

The length of the traveling case corresponds to the width of the cot, and the height of the traveling case corresponds to the height of the cot. The two halves of the case are removably secured to each other by any suitable means such as a plurality of clasps l6 and 17 In addition to the clasps, each of the halves of the traveling case, or end members of the cot, is provided with a handle 20, the two handles being correspondingly placed cooperating to provide a double grip by which the traveling case may be carried. Each of the handles is preferably hinged at the edge of the case so that it may be readily swung out of the way when the cot is spread and in use.

The end member 11 is similar to the member 10 but it is provided with a hinged lid :24 so that access may be readily had to the interior of the case without separating the two members. The lid is fastened closed by clasps 25.

Attention is directed to the fact that the clasps 16, 17 and 25 are all located at the ends of the traveling case where they do not at all interfere with the stretching of the canvas or the stability of the cot.

The side brace 12 is connected by a hinge 26 to the end member 10 and the side brace 18 is similarly connected to the end member 11 by a hinge 27. The three parts of the side braces are inter-connected by hinges 28, 29 having inwardly extending projections 80, 31 and to these hinges the supporting legs 14 and 15 are connected by hinges 32, 33, the pivots of which are at right angles to those between the side braces.

The arrangement of parts is such that the sections of the side braces may be folded into the end member or half of the traveling case to which the brace is hinged. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, the side braces and legs when folded occupy a very small amount of space within the case. Nevertheless, the extended brace is of suflicient length to provide a full length cot. These facts are peculiarly significant when considered in connection with the fact that the traveling case or folded cotis notabnormally large but on the contrary may correspond quite closely in size and appearance to a standard dress suit case.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 7 the free end of each of the side braces is provided with a metal strip or projection 35 having a notch 36 and adapted to be inserted in a socket 40, located in the upper corner of the adjacent end member opposite the hinge 26 or 27 as near their upper edges, for the purpose of receiving a plurality of hooks 51 to which the canvas, or other fabric sheet 60 of the cot is secured b-y-cords 61, 62.

The cords are laced through holes or eyelets 63 and 64 located at the respective ends of the canvas sheet.

When the cot is stretched as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 it constitutes a very satisfactory bed which is particularly well adapted for the use of campers and travelers who have frequent occasion to transport their outfit.

The cot may be folded by merely disengaging the hooks 51 from the holes 50 to release the canvas, then pulling the projections out of the sockets 40, folding the side braces and legs into the end members, and finally fastening the end members together in the form of a case as shown in Fig. 1. The canvas may then be placed in the interior of the case by merely opening the lid 24 and obviously there is a large proportion of the interior of the case unoccupied. This space may be utilized as space in an ordinary packing case, and be filled with camping articles, clothing, blankets or the like.

One of the principal advantages in the structure of my invention resides in the fact that the interior of the case is not cut up or rendered unavailable by cross braces or bars of the cot.

One of the end members may be provided with a flange which fits into the other member when the case is closed in order to prevent relative movement of the halves when the clasps 16 and 17 are fastened.

The two parts of the case may of course be coupled together by hinges which are specially designed to be readily disconnected or by other suitable means; in fact various structural modifications may be effected within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is V 1. A combined cot and suit case comprising two hollow detachable members together forming the case and adapted to be used as end members of the frame of the cot, two longitudinal side braces for the cot hingeconnected to and arranged to be folded into the respective members, and a sheet of fabric arranged to be stretched on to the frame formed by themembers and side braces.

2. A folding cot comprising two hollow detachable members, two side braces each composed of hinge-connected sections, one connected at one of its ends with one of said end members and the other connected at one of its ends with the other of said end members and both adapted to be folded into its respective end member, means for fastening the disconnected end of each side brace to the other member to form the frame of the cot, and means for fastening the end members together to form a suit case.

3. A folding cot comprising two hollow detachable members, two side braces each composed of hinge-connected sections, one connected at one of its ends with one of said end members and the other connected at one of its ends with the other of said end members and both adapted to be folded into its respective end member, means for fastening the disconnected end of each side brace t0 the other member to form the frame of the cot, vertical supporting legs hinge-connected with the side braces, and a sheet of fabric arranged to be stretched onto the frame formed by the end members and side braces.

41. A folding cot comprising a pair of hollow end members, handles secured thereto and clasps for fastening the end members together to constitute a suit case, folding braces hinge-connected to the respective end members and adapted for connecting and spacing said members apart, and a sheet of fabric adapted to be stretched on the frame formed by the end members and the braces.

5. A combined cot and suit case comprising two hollow detachable members together forming the case and adapted to be used as the end members of the cot, a hinged flap on 7 one of said members for giving access to the 1ns1de of the case, two slde braces, each composed of hlnge-connected sectlons, one connected at one of its ends with one of said end 7 members and the other connected at one of its ends with the other of said end members and both adapted to be folded into its respective end member, means for fastening the disconnected end of each side brace to the other member to form the frame of the cot, vertical supporting legs hinge-connected with the side braces, and a sheet of fabric arranged to be stretched on to the frame formed by the end members and side braces.

6. A combined cot and suit case comprising two hollow detachable members together forming the case and adapted to be used as theend members of the frame of the cot, a

hinged flap on one of said members'for giving access to the inside of the case, handles secured to both of said members, two side braces each composed of hinge-connected sections, one pivotally connected at one of its ends with one of said end members and the other pivotally connected at oneof its ends with the other of said end members,

and both adapted to be folded into its remembers and side braces, and means for fasspective end member, sockets for fastening tening the end members together to form a the disconnected end of each side brace to suit case. the other end member to form the frame of In Witness whereof I have hereunto set 5 a cot, Vertical supporting legs hinge-connectmy hand in the presence of two Witnesses, 15

ed With the side braces, a sheet of fabric, a this 8th day of November, 1912.

plurality of hooks 0n the ends of said fabric AUGUSTUS R. BARNES. arranged to engage With suitable holes Witnesses: formed in the end members to stretch said F. B. ADAMS,

10 fabric on to the frame formed by the end J. J. ADAMS.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, .D. 0. 

